Railroad-rail joint



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W H GARR RAILROAD RAIL JOINT.

Patented July 12, 1892.

(Hommel.) zsheets-sheet 2.

W. H. CARR.

RAILROAD RAIL JOINT. y, No. 478,920. Patented July 12, 1892 UNTTE STATES PATENT GEEICE.

WARREN HENRY CARR, or BATH, MAINE.

RAILROAD-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N 0. 478,920, dated July 12, 1892.

Application led December 8, 1891. Serial No. 414,363. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WARREN HENRY CARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bath, in the county of Sagadahoc and State of Maine,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Rail Joints and Ido l hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railroad-rails, and has special relation to a simple and improved joint therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a rail-joint of such construction whereby the rails are adapted to be connected together in such manner as to obviate any independent lateral or longitudinal displacement of the rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and improved means for securely locking the coupled joints against vertical play.

To these ends the invention consists, substantiallyin the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the meeting ends of two railroad-rails embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view, parts being broken away to show the construction. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line so Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the meeting ends of the rails disconnected. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the locking-plate. Fig. 7 is a similar view' to Fig. 3, illustrating modiiied locking means. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the latter.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A B designate, respectively, two adjoining railroad rails, which may be in the main of any well-known or approved pattern.

The rail A is provided at one end with an extension a, the latter being provided at each side of the web with an ear o. a', extending at right angles to the web and in a plane with the base of the rail. The ears a extend from extension a of the meeting rail, but preferably of slightly-greater dimensions than said dovetail portion, as shown, to allow for expansion and contraction of the rails. lVhen thus se'- cured together, all independent longitudinal or side movement of the connected rails is entirely obviated.

To prevent vertical disengagement of the rails and to retain them securely locked in position, a plate C is provided. The latter consists of a horizontal base portion c, having its side edges c c bent upwardly and inwardly, a longitudinal opening c2 being left between the opposing overturned side edges. In practice the plate C is adapted to receive' and slide upon the base of one of the rails, the web of the latter being received within the opening c2. To connect two adjoining rails together, the dovetail extension of one rail is seated in the corresponding recess in the adjoining rail and the plate C then slid over the joint, thus locking the rail together. The plate C is held against displacement by spikes, securing the same to the ties. In lieu of the plate C,how ever, the modified locking device illustrated in Figs. 7 and S may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope ot my invention. This device consists of a double pin or bolt D, having its end portions CZ d projecting at right angles therefrom and in the same direction. 'The web of the opposing rail ends is provided near the Vjoint with a transverse bolt-hole d d', through which the ends d are passed. At the opposite side of the rails a lish-plate E, having apertures e c for the reception of the end d, is placed in engagement with the latter and the parts secured by split keys F F, passed through apertures ff, provided in the ends CZ. By the employment of IOO the coupling device just described the parts of the latter can be quickly and readily separated at will and the loss incident to the use of threaded bolts and nuts by breakage in reremoving thus entirely obviated.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. In practice the rails are formed at their respective ends with the relative parts of the joint, so that the meeting ends of two rails coincide.

My invention is readily applicable to the rails in general use, it beingr simply necessary to cut away parts of the base of the rail at one end to form the extension a and to form the corresponding recess at the opposite end.

The above-described railjoint is simple in construction, enablingr the rails to be quickly and readilyjoined, durable in use, and is, furthermore, inexpensive, for the reason that the necessity for the usual securing-bolts is entirely dispensed with.

I claim as my invention 1. In a railroad-rail joint, the combination, with the end of a rail having its base only eX- tendcd and said `extension provided with a dovetail recess, of the opposing end of a meeting rail having its base recessed at opposite sides to form a dovetail portion fitting within said dovetail recess, but of less length than the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a railroadrail joint, the combination, with a rail having an extension at one end provided at opposite sides with outwardlyharing lugs, the latter forming, conjunctively, a dovetailed portion, of the opposing end of a meeting rail having its base ext-ended to provide two ears diverging outwardly at their inner faces and forming an intermediate dove tailed recess adapted to receive said dovetail portion, and means for locking the latter in the recess therefor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Theherein-described railroad-rai1,having its base only extended at one end and provided with a dovetail recess extendingr from top to bottom of said extension, said rail being formed at its opposite end with a dovetail portion of less length than the dovetail recess, substantially as and for the purpose setlforth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN HENRY CARR.

Witnesses:

WM. MUSSENDEN, F. S. SANG. 

